Aspen Skiing Co. serving worker meals due to lack of snow

ASPEN – The owner of the Aspen area’s ski resorts is once again providing dinner for its employees who haven’t been able to start working because of a lack of snow.

Aspen Skiing Co. has been serving meals three nights a week since Thanksgiving. Company spokesman Jeff Hanle told The Aspen Times that the number of diners has ranged from 100 to 160.

Many are seasonal workers who came to the area just to work at the ski areas.

Buttermilk and Snowmass mountains were both due to open Saturday, but Aspen Highlands’ opening day has been delayed until Dec. 16. The company’s two other mountains, Aspen and Snowmass, are open with limited terrain.

The tradition of serving unemployed workers started in the early 1990s. Dinners were also provided last year.